Championship · Matchday 14 
Preston seek a lift as Sheffield United arrive at Deepdale
Preston are looking to climb the Championship standings after a difficult start, but Sheffield United come to Deepdale in stronger form. The visitors have scored eight goals across their last five matches.
📍 Deepdale Stadium
Preview written: · Team news checked:
All Matchday 14 matchesFull head-to-head
Match facts
Recent form
Last 5 league games, latest on the right
Goals per game
| · | Scored | Conceded |
|---|---|---|
| Preston | 0.8 | 2.1 |
| Sheffield Utd | 1.3 | 1.2 |
PreviaXI model
Model confidence: Open game
- Predicted score
- 1-2
- Expected goals (model)
- 1.31 – 1.53
- Double chance
- 12 · 74%1X 58% · X2 68%
- Over 2.5 goals
- 54%Over 1.5: 78% · Over 3.5: 32%
- Both teams score
- 58%
- Clean sheet
- 22% – 27%Preston–Sheffield Utd
- Half-time result
- X · 41%1 27% · 2 32%
- Half-time / full-time
- 2/2 · 25%1/1 19% · X/X 15%
- Expected corners
- 11.55.5 – 6.0 · Over 9.5: 70%
- Expected cards
- 3.72.1 – 1.6 · Over 3.5: 51%
- Most likely scores
- 1-112%
- 1-29%
- 0-18%
- 2-18%
- 1-07%
Statistical model based on expected goals (xG), results and match statistics from the last two seasons. For information only. How our model works →
Why the model leans towards Sheffield Utd
- Power ratings: Preston -0.47 goals per game (24th of 24 in Championship), Sheffield Utd +0.02 (9th).
- Preston's attack (1.16 goals per game) meets Sheffield Utd's defence (1.38 conceded per game).
- Sheffield Utd's attack (1.40) meets Preston's defence (1.63).
- Home advantage in this competition: home sides score about 22% more goals.
- Put together, the model expects 1.31 – 1.53 goals: Preston 32%, draw 26%, Sheffield Utd 42%.
Key trends
- Preston have not won in their last 8 matches.
- Sheffield Utd have scored in each of their last 6 matches.
- Preston failed to score in 4 of their last 8 matches.
Absences
Preston
- OutH. Clarke · Knee Injury
- OutL. Gibbs · Muscle Injury
- OutL. Gibson · Inactive
- OutA. McCann · Hamstring Injury
- DoubtfulT. Carroll · Ankle Injury
Sheffield Utd
- OutM. Doherty · Injury
- OutL. Kitching · Yellow Cards
- OutR. One · Inactive
- OutJ. Shackleton · Health problems
- DoubtfulP. Bamford · Inactive
Injury and suspension list from our data provider, updated every 6 hours. It can change before kick-off.
Chance to score
Preston
- J. Kenny2 goals in 6 games27%
- C. Lang3 goals in 14 games23%
- J. Erabi2 goals in 13 games15%
Sheffield Utd
- P. Bamford6 goals in 13 games32%
- C. O'Hare2 goals in 5 games23%
- T. Cannon4 goals in 15 games21%
Model estimate: each player’s season goals per minute compared with his team’s, applied to the model’s expected goals for this match and his usual minutes. Players listed as out are left out.
Season stats
| · | Preston | Sheffield Utd | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| · | All | Home | All | Away |
| Won-drawn-lost | 1-2-10 | 1-1-4 | 5-4-4 | 2-2-2 |
| Goals scored per game | 0.77 | 0.83 | 1.31 | 1.33 |
| Goals conceded per game | 2.08 | 1.67 | 1.15 | 1.33 |
| xG per game | 1.20 | 1.30 | 1.16 | 1.13 |
| xG against per game | 1.56 | 1.38 | 1.40 | 1.29 |
| Scored in | 62% | 67% | 77% | 83% |
| Clean sheets | 0% | 0% | 38% | 33% |
| Failed to score | 38% | 33% | 23% | 17% |
| Both teams scored | 62% | 67% | 54% | 67% |
| Over 1.5 goals | 77% | 67% | 62% | 67% |
| Over 2.5 goals | 62% | 50% | 54% | 67% |
| Over 3.5 goals | 38% | 33% | 31% | 33% |
| Shots per game | 11.9 | 13.5 | 10.8 | 10.0 |
| Shots on target per game | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.8 | 3.2 |
| Shots on target | 21% | 21% | 35% | 32% |
| Possession | 40% | 43% | 44% | 37% |
| Passes per game | 311.3 | 327.5 | 349.9 | 297.7 |
| Pass accuracy | 74% | 74% | 70% | 66% |
| Corners per game | 4.9 | 6.5 | 3.8 | 3.3 |
| Corners against per game | 6.2 | 5.5 | 6.3 | 7.8 |
| Cards per game | 2.3 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.2 |
| Fouls per game | 12.1 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 11.2 |
League matches this season (Championship). Per-game averages; % = share of matches.
When goals come
Preston
- 0-153 / 3
- 16-302 / 1
- 31-451 / 5
- 46-602 / 2
- 61-750 / 4
- 76-90+3 / 9
Usual formation: 3-4-2-1
Sheffield Utd
- 0-154 / 3
- 16-302 / 1
- 31-453 / 4
- 46-603 / 1
- 61-752 / 2
- 76-90+3 / 4
Usual formation: 4-4-2
Goals scored (green) and conceded (orange) by 15-minute period, league matches this season.
Championship table
| # | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Middlesbrough | 13 | +13 | 28 |
| 2 |  Swansea | 13 | +7 | 26 |
| 3 |  Wolves | 13 | +7 | 24 |
| 4 |  West Brom | 13 | +5 | 24 |
| 5 |  Southampton | 13 | +15 | 23 |
| 6 |  Birmingham | 13 | +10 | 23 |
| 7 |  Stoke City | 13 | +4 | 23 |
| 8 |  West Ham | 13 | +15 | 22 |
| 9 |  QPR | 13 | +5 | 20 |
| 10 |  Sheffield Utd | 13 | +2 | 19 |
| 11 |  Portsmouth | 13 | +1 | 19 |
| 12 |  Millwall | 13 | +2 | 18 |
| 13 |  Blackburn | 13 | -1 | 18 |
| 14 |  Bristol City | 13 | -2 | 18 |
| 15 |  Norwich | 13 | -1 | 15 |
| 16 |  Lincoln | 13 | -9 | 15 |
| 17 |  Cardiff | 13 | -1 | 14 |
| 18 |  Wrexham | 13 | -4 | 14 |
| 19 |  Bolton | 13 | -8 | 14 |
| 20 |  Charlton | 13 | -10 | 14 |
| 21 |  Watford | 13 | -11 | 11 |
| 22 |  Burnley | 13 | -8 | 9 |
| 23 |  Derby | 13 | -14 | 7 |
| 24 |  Preston | 13 | -17 | 5 |
Table as of
Next matches
Preston
- Sat 7 NovPreston – SouthamptonChampionship
- Sat 21 NovWest Ham – PrestonChampionship
- Tue 24 NovCardiff – PrestonChampionship
Sheffield Utd
- Sat 7 NovCharlton – Sheffield UtdChampionship
- Sat 21 NovSheffield Utd – WatfordChampionship
- Tue 24 NovSheffield Utd – SouthamptonChampionship
Head-to-head: last 10 meetings
Preston 2 wins · 3 draws · Sheffield Utd 5 wins
- 25/04/2026Sheffield Utd2-3PrestonChampionship
- 24/10/2025Preston3-2Sheffield UtdChampionship
- 08/03/2025Sheffield Utd1-0PrestonChampionship
- 09/08/2024Preston0-2Sheffield UtdChampionship
- 29/04/2023Sheffield Utd4-1PrestonChampionship
- 17/09/2022Preston0-2Sheffield UtdChampionship
- 18/01/2022Preston2-2Sheffield UtdChampionship
- 14/09/2021Sheffield Utd2-2PrestonChampionship
- 04/09/2020Sheffield Utd2-2PrestonFriendlies Clubs
- 06/04/2019Preston0-1Sheffield UtdChampionship
Preston need a response
Preston return to Deepdale seeking points to climb the Championship standings after taking just five from their opening 13 matches. They sit 24th, with a goal difference of minus 17, and have managed only one league win so far. Sheffield United are 10th on 19 points, giving the visitors a more settled platform as the teams meet in the 14th round.
The gap in recent output is stark: Preston have scored twice and conceded 12 times across their last five games. Their season total stands at 10 goals, while 27 have gone in at the other end. A sharper display in front of goal and greater resistance at the back are central to the home side’s hopes of moving up.
Recent form favours the visitors
Preston’s latest five league results include four defeats and one draw. They have also lost 10 of their 13 matches overall, with four defeats in six home games.
Sheffield United have taken a more encouraging route, winning three and drawing once in their last five. They have scored eight and conceded four in that spell. Across 13 league matches, they have five wins and four draws, and their 17 goals scored compare favourably with Preston’s 10.
A lively recent rivalry
The last two meetings both ended 3-2, with Preston winning at Deepdale in October 2025 before taking a 3-2 victory away to Sheffield United in April 2026. The wider five-match record is less favourable to Preston, who have won twice and lost three times.
Absences to manage
Preston will be without H. Clarke, L. Gibbs, L. Gibson and A. McCann; T. Carroll is questionable. Sheffield United are missing M. Doherty, L. Kitching, R. One and J. Shackleton, while P. Bamford is questionable.
Where the match may turn
Preston’s home scoring record offers some hope: they have scored five times in six league matches at Deepdale. But Sheffield United have found the net eight times in their last five games and have conceded only four in that run. The visitors’ more consistent attack could test a Preston defence that has shipped 12 goals across its latest five outings.
Our prediction
Preston’s need to climb the table should make them pursue a positive result, but Sheffield United arrive with stronger recent scoring and defensive numbers. PreviaXI’s model leans towards the visitors, whose greater attacking threat points to a narrow away win.
Preston 1-2 Sheffield Utd
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